Loader bending metal on loader

[crotbc]

I have a LS U5030 with a LL5102 loader. I have bent or completely broken in two at least 3 sets of the curl or "c" shaped brackets (don't know what they are called) that attach to the loader. Is anyone else experiencing this? It seems to happen with very little pressure or at least it seems they shouldn't bee bending/snapping so easily. Does anyone know what they are called and perhaps a part number? I've had to get them through the dealer who has taken them off of a tractor he has in inventory so I haven't gotten a part number yet.

 

[rwork]

Are you talking about the "dog bones"? The end of the curl linkage?

 

[crotbc]

Are you talking about the "dog bones"? The end of the curl linkage?

Yes. I assume that is it. That's what they look like.

 

[Sodo]

Here's a pic of an LL5102 from Google images.

 

[crotbc]

They are the curved brackets right behind the loader bucket on this picture. And thanks for posting the pic.

 

[Sodo]

Just a guess here. The curve shape allows the link to extend over the pin, to allow the bucket to dump more "vertically" when the loader is up high. Do you drag your bucket backward with it 'curled' all the way down? Maybe that action bends them, and then the problem as you wrote….

>>>>It seems to happen with very little pressure or at least it seems they shouldn't bee bending/snapping so easily.<<<<

….actually appears at a later time when you're not doing much, simply because the links have been 'kinked'.

That feature (the curved links) gives you some benefit up high, at risk to strength when 'backblading' (or forward too) when low. I'd be careful with high ground forces (on the cutting edge) with the bucket all the way vertical. Maybe you have to flatten out your original ones and add bracing until LS gets you something better.

 

[SPYDERLK]

I think those links are in compression when you push and/or lift -- the links are buckling, right? ... Due to the rather short lever point from bucket pivot to the link connection this compression force escalates to the extreme as the bucket is used in more "uncurled" positions when piushing or lifting. LS should be fixing this design problem.
larry

 

[Gary Fowler]

Those links are just a pivot point. MOST of the pressure is still transferred directly from the cylinder to the flat bars in front which attach to the bucket.
I would think that the pivot bars must be hitting the FEL arms prior to the cylinder reaching the end of stroke OR the OP is really doing something wrong with his operating technique. I suspect that there is something off in the fabrication of this loader. I would ask the dealer to change it out with a different one.

TO the OP: what are you doing with the FEL when the bars buckle or break? Have you checked clearances between these brackets and the frame of the FEL? MY LS P7010 is similar and I have abused it hard and never had any thing bend other than the bucket lip while back dragging and hit a stump. I did bend it back straight while lifting some long concrete slabs (more abuse).

 

[SPYDERLK]

Those links are just a pivot point. MOST of the pressure is still transferred directly from the cylinder to the flat bars in front which attach to the bucket.
I would think that the pivot bars must be hitting the FEL arms prior to the cylinder reaching the end of stroke OR the OP is really doing something wrong with his operating technique. I suspect that there is something off in the fabrication of this loader. I would ask the dealer to change it out with a different one.

TO the OP: what are you doing with the FEL when the bars buckle or break? Have you checked clearances between these brackets and the frame of the FEL? MY LS P7010 is similar and I have abused it hard and never had any thing bend other than the bucket lip while back dragging and hit a stump. I did bend it back straight while lifting some long concrete slabs (more abuse).

Yes. But there are points in the travel where they come close to an "overcenter" condition. That greatly escalates the normally "small" force on them. I imagine they can take what they see in tension ... but compression :confused3:

 

[Guesseral]

Question are both of your cylinders traveling in sink? Example are they both bottoming out at the same time, or is the length of the chrome portion of each cylinder exposed on both cylinders the same? If not there could be additional stress placed on the loader as it runs crocked, like when the first cylinder is all the way out then the trailing cylinder would place additional stress through the remainder of it's travel. This is just a thought!

 

[ryansLS]

I have a LS U5030 with a LL5102 loader. I have bent or completely broken in two at least 3 sets of the curl or "c" shaped brackets (don't know what they are called) that attach to the loader. Is anyone else experiencing this? It seems to happen with very little pressure or at least it seems they shouldn't bee bending/snapping so easily. Does anyone know what they are called and perhaps a part number? I've had to get them through the dealer who has taken them off of a tractor he has in inventory so I haven't gotten a part number yet.

Yes, this just happened to me the other day. I have an R4041H. My dealer covered under 1 year loader warranty and pulled a set off one of their tractors to get me rolling again. It seems to me if LS were to put more metal under the curve of the links this wouldn't happen. The links would look more like a triangle rather than a strap of metal and would still serve the same purpose without interference. The dealer seemed to think if they were beefed up then there would be issues at the cylinder mounts. I agreed that could be a potential but I'd like to know what LS's view on it is. Would it in fact cause issues somewhere else if these things didn't give away? Is LS aware this happens and if so is a safeguard for the rest of the loader?

 

[Guesseral]

Yes, this just happened to me the other day. I have an R4041H. My dealer covered under 1 year loader warranty and pulled a set off one of their tractors to get me rolling again. It seems to me if LS were to put more metal under the curve of the links this wouldn't happen. The links would look more like a triangle rather than a strap of metal and would still serve the same purpose without interference. The dealer seemed to think if they were beefed up then there would be issues at the cylinder mounts. I agreed that could be a potential but I'd like to know what LS's view on it is. Would it in fact cause issues somewhere else if these things didn't give away? Is LS aware this happens and if so is a safeguard for the rest of the loader?
View attachment 379577

Oh man that doesn't look good!

 

[windcatcher]

Has anyone found out the reason for these failures? I'm within a couple of weeks of pulling the trigger on a XR3032H myself. It had to have taken some extreme pressure to make those brackets bend like that.

I know someone suggested the cylinders may be out of sync causing pressure build up. Is it possible that's the cause?

 

[avillahdw]

What was the circumstance that may have caused this? Any ideas?

 

[SPYDERLK]

Has anyone found out the reason for these failures? I'm within a couple of weeks of pulling the trigger on a XR3032H myself. It had to have taken some extreme pressure to make those brackets bend like that.

I know someone suggested the cylinders may be out of sync causing pressure build up. Is it possible that's the cause?

I think those links are in compression when you push and/or lift -- the links are buckling, right? ... Due to the rather short lever point from bucket pivot to the link connection this compression force escalates to the extreme as the bucket is used in more "uncurled" positions when piushing or lifting. LS should be fixing this design problem.
larry

No. It is not the cylinders out of sync. It is a faulty design, as stated.
larry

 

[ryansLS]

I believe mine buckeled when I was pushing on a cedar stump/tree...only thing I can think of I was doing that would have caused enough pressure to do this. Im pretty sure it wasn't caused from back blading of any sort. I was using the tractor for moving/clearing trees that fell over from a recent storm passing through. I'm not mad or disappointed in the equipment as anything can happen if done just right and it looks like I accomplished this. LS has these links on every tractor I saw up to 50hp. I haven't seen anything larger than that on my dealer's lot. You'd think they would know of the issue by now, if it were a design flaw, especially if they're being replaced under the loader's one year warranty. Did OP ever mention how he thought his were bent/broke?

 

[SPYDERLK]

Backblading pulls on the links. The pics show its compression that is killing them and that happens when the cyls are pulling the linkage as in curling or resisting uncurl. My Mahindra 7520 has the same type of linkage but the metal is thicker and the pivot points are further apart on the bucket carrier. Theres 1300 hrs and lots of heavy loader work, all variety, on it so the design is competent. The failures in the LS loader are proof of a problem. Dont even think of it being your fault.
larry.

 

[Sodo]

Looks very very easy to beef it up. A 1/2" roundstock welded on the outside edge following that curve will increase the load that link will accept before buckling. If that link is a "fuse" though,,,, adding strength to this link may not be a wise thing to do. Would be great if LS would come simply clarify the reasoning.

Those parts could probably be flattened out, braced (as above) and re-used if the dealer doesn't have them. But if it's a fuse I bet bracing it could void warranties.

 

[SPYDERLK]

A fuse like that would ultimately lead to dropping something at a very inopportune time ... like on somebody.

 

[Sodo]

The dealer seemed to think if they were beefed up then there would be issues at the cylinder mounts. I agreed that could be a potential but I'd like to know what LS's view on it is. Would it in fact cause issues somewhere else if these things didn't give away?

A fuse like that would ultimately lead to dropping something at a very inopportune time ... like on somebody.

This link (in the fuse theory) will either compress or stretch, I don't think it drops anything.

If in fact it is (in part) a fuse, highest forces are when the bucket is curled all the way down, precisely the condition where forces multiply, and may be a need to protect the bucket curl cylinders or other mounts. I suspect it is shaped this way to give the bucket more curl while protecting the components in this extended curl position. Seems strange that LS wouldn't state this (again, following the 'fuse' theory) so people know whats going on rather than guessing about their quality.

Ryan what was the bucket angle when you pushed on this cedar tree?